Improved cae-couplim



JAMES W. SMITH AND JOHN I. SMITH, OF ELDERS RIDGE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 73,935, dated January 28, 1868.

IMPROVED GAR-COUPLING.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, Janus W. SMITH and JOHN P. SMITH, of Elders Ridge, Indiana-county, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Coupling; and we do hereby declare that the follewing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view.

Figure 2 is an end view.

Figure 3 is a view of the draw-head detached from the car.

Figure 4 is a bottom View of the same.

, Figure 5 is an end sectional view of the draw-head, showing its bevelled bearings.A p

My invention consists in a simple and practical Amethod of coupling and uncoupling cars by means of a foot-rod or lever, which is connected by a chain with the coupling-pin or bolt. The chain works in a. frictionroller, having its bearings in a standard or upright, secured to the draw-headin front of the footrod,andin1mc 'diatelyin the rear of the opening through which passes the coupling-pin, so that when the foot-rod is' depressed. the chain drawing.on the coupling-pin elevates suiliciently to allow of the free passage of. the shackle or link under the same. By means of a slotted guide-plate, attached to the platform of the car, and an opening in the rear of the drawhead,the foot-rod or lever is compelled to always'occupy aperpendicular position, and to work in a line exactly parallel with the coupling-pin or boltafter the latter has entered the draw-head. The rod or lever can readily be depressed by the foot, butonly remains in that position so long as the pressure is retained upon the same, for the instant the pressure is withdrawn a spring, attached to the lower end of the rod or lever, and which has its hearing underneath the cai,'forces the rod back to its former position.

Myl invention also consists in attaching the draw-head to the .car by means of bevelled bearing-plates, a portion of the under side of the draw-head being bevelled in a like degree, so that it may work freely in' the plates. The bevel on the draw-headonly extends a proper distance to allow of the draw-heads receding suiiciently far when the cars strike to break the force and violent jar caused by the sudden concussion.

In view ofthe numerous serious and fatal accidents that have occurred to railroad employes by being. jammed between the-cars, while in the act` of coupling or uncoupling the same, numberless'inventions have been patented, the aim of which has been to furnish a secure coupling, and -one which at. the same time could be operated with less dihiculty, and in a degree, at least, lessen the danger which is incident to the working of the coupling now in vgeneral use. Many reasons might be assigned why scarcely any oflthe patented couplings have never been introduced. In the rst place, they are too expensive; in the secondp'lace, they are-too coma plicated; and again, they ldo not possess the requisitestrength. l

My inventionl has, to recommend it, its cheapness, its simplicity, andits eiciency. The expense of applyL ing it to the coupling now in use is exceedingly trifling, requiring no alteration in the car itself, and scarcely any in the draw-head. There is no complicated 'mechanism to become disarranged, and the entire draught is borne, as in the old plan, directly hy the coupling-pin. Y

-To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation. Y

A is the draw-head, which is constructed in the usual manner, and furnished with the mouth A', of the ordi-- nary form. B is a boss, immediately in the rear oi' the mouthA, and through which the coupling pin b passes; To the under side of the car G Vthere are rigidly scoured two heavy guide-plates, D D. These plates are bevelled, as already shown in figs. 4 and 5, and furnish bearings for the draw-head A, which works freely in the plates D D., the bevelled face allowing sufficient play, so that when the cars come in contact, the draw-heads will slightly yield, thus breaking the force of the concussion. Immediately in the rear ofthe boss B there is firmly secured a standard or upright, a3. In a slot'in the upper portion of this-standard or upright, a3, thercis pivot'ed a grooved friction-roller, In the groove of the roller ZJ works a short chain, al, which is attached at one end to the head of the coupling-pin b, and at the other to the foot-rod a. The foot-rod a is retained in an ele# vatedposition by means of the spring c, .which has its bearing in a line, e, attached to the bottom of the car; This spring c passes through an eye, c', in the lower portion of the foot-rod or lever a.

The operation is as follows: Let us suppose the .cars are connected together vbythe ordinary shackle or link in general use, and it is desired to uncouple the same; place the foot on the rod or lever a, depress the same; this will draw the chain al over the friction-pulley b,which, being attached to the coupling-pin b, will gradually elevate the same to a position which will allow of the free exit of thelink or shackle, which, whenl eifected, the foot can be removed, andthe spring c will immediately return the lever a t-o its normal position. I

Having thus described our inventiomwhat we claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is

The spring c, in combination with the lever and foot-rod a, upright a3, and chain z, and coupling-pin b, when'the same are so arranged as to,operate substantially as described, andfor tlie purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, we have vsigned our name'to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES W. SMITH, JOHN P. SMITH.

Witnesses:

J. M. MGCLELLAN, J. COLEMAN. 

